Sweden Elects Conservatives        

           The results of Sweden’s election on Sunday extend the widening swath of countries moving toward conservatism in Europe.  Swedish Social Democrats polled their worst results than at any time since 1914.  The center-left party has dominated Sweden since the 1930s and has been in power for 65 of the last 78 years.  Once again they ran on a platform of raising taxes and the Swedish people said ‘No’!  

          Instead they stayed with the center-right coalition led by Prime Minister Frederik Reinfeldt, making this the first time in Sweden that a center-right government has been re-elected.  In addition, the far right, anti-immigration party, the Social Democrats, doubled their 2006 vote and increased their visibility in Parliament.  It would be an understatement to say that these results are a significant outcome in a country which heretofore exemplified the welfare state, cultivated a strong labor movement and welcomed immigrants to feed at their trough. 

          This conservative trend can be seen throughout Europe, where fiscally conservative center-right parties have advanced in recent years and far right parties have made inroads.  Recently the Tories gained power in Britain with the Labour Party bringing in its worst showing since 1977.  Center-right governments now rule the four most populous countries in Europe …Germany, France, Britain and Italy!  Many smaller countries, such as the Netherlands, are beginning to lean this way as well and even Portugal decided this week to trim its deficit by making sweeping budget cuts.  Europe going conservative?  Who would have thunk!